This is a sponsored article on behalf of National Art Pass.
2026 is shaping up to be a great year for art lovers, fashionistas and history fans alike, thanks to a bumper crop of exhibitions at London’s biggest museums and galleries.
With that, though, comes the risk of decision paralysis — which ones should you plump for, and is “all of them” an acceptable answer? To that latter question, we say a resounding “yes”, so long as your bank balance can handle it, of course. And we’ve got a great hack to make your exhibition binge much more affordable: National Art Pass.
National Art Pass gets you 50% off major exhibitions all over the capital, including big-name institutions like the V&A, Tate Modern and Tate Britain, the British Museum and the National Gallery. That’s on top of free and reduced-price entry to hundreds of museums, galleries and historic houses across the UK (many of which are located in — or within easy reach of — London).
Here are just some of the ways we at Londonist Towers plan on making use of ours this year…
A samurai deep dive
Get to grips with Japan’s legendary warrior class at The British Museum’s acclaimed Samurai exhibition. It’s got all sorts of ornate battle gear, vivid (and at times lurid) art, plus more modern exhibits exploring the enduring legacy of the samurai in games, fashion and film. It’s here until 4 May, and National Art Pass holders get 50% off admission — a saving of £12.50.
A Freudian trip
The National Portrait Gallery is hosting the UK’s first museum exhibition dedicated to Lucian Freud’s works on paper. Spanning from the 1930s to the early 21st century, these sketches and etchings reveal the artist’s lifelong fascination with the human figure and portraiture. As its title suggests, Lucian Freud: Drawing into Painting lays bare the dialogue between his finished paintings and works on paper — some of the latter have never been displayed before. With a National Art Pass, you can save £11.50 with a half-price ticket. It runs until 4 May.
Stop-motion superstars
Iconic animation studio Aardman turns 50 this year, and Young V&A is celebrating by inviting fans behind the scenes of the stop-motion juggernaut. Inside Aardman: Wallace & Gromit and Friends features never-before-seen models, sets, storyboards, sketches and props from Aardman’s archives. That includes exhibits relating to Chicken Run, Shaun the Sheep, Morph and, of course, Wallace & Gromit. A National Art Pass gets you 50% off exhibitions at the Young V&A, meaning you can save £5.50 here. The best bit? Your ticket gets you into the exhibition as many times as you like!
Groundbreaking Colombian art
The bold, playful work of Colombian artist Beatriz González comes to Barbican Art Gallery on 25 February. Head there to discover over 150 pieces, created by reworking found images from newspapers, postcards and Western art into paintings, installations and repurposed furniture. It’s open until 10 May and you can nab half-price tickets with a National Art Pass, saving you £9.50.
Fashion and surrealism collide
Tumble into the gloriously trippy world of legendary designer Elsa Schiaparelli at the V&A. Running 28 March-1 November, Schiaparelli: Fashion Becomes Art showcases over 200 objects, including garments, accessories and collaborative artworks by Dalí, Man Ray and Jean Cocteau. As all V&A exhibitions are 50% off with a National Art Pass, you can save big here — £12.50, to be precise. If you enjoy bold fashion or surrealist art, this one will be right up your alley.
Homegrown greats with Tate
Celebrate two terrific British artists with Tate this spring/summer. On 27 February, Tate Modern unveils its huge new Tracey Emin exhibition, spanning painting, sculpture, textiles, video and more. This landmark show brings together celebrated works such as the intimate, provocative My Bed and pieces that have never been exhibited before. It’s here till 31 August, and National Art Pass holders can save 50% (£10) on tickets.
Meanwhile, Tate Britain shines the spotlight on Hurvin Anderson, 26 March-23 August. The artist’s colour-drenched paintings draw on his Jamaican heritage, moving between the UK and the Caribbean in both subject and memory. Anderson’s work explores experiences of belonging and diaspora, and you can discover it for 50% less with a National Art Pass, saving you £9 on tickets.
This is just a taste of what National Art Pass has in store for you. Remember, on top of discounted exhibitions, you can get free admission to a whole host of interesting spaces. There are even discounts to be had in museum shops and cafes!
Annual membership costs £87, or £53 for Under 30s, and you can save 25% in your first year when you pay by Direct Debit. Get your National Art Pass now, and we’re pretty confident it’ll have paid for itself by the time summer rolls around — after all, there are few better ways to spend these dreary late winter days than by exploring London’s many iconic cultural institutions.
